In life, we have two choices for making money legally and that's either working for someone or starting your own business, which if it grows could eventually lead you to hire other people to work for your business. Statistics state that there are more female entrepreneurs in Africa than there are in any other continent, this is because 1 in 4 African women is more likely to explore entrepreneurship than African men. Therefore it is also advisable to consider building the skills and acumen how best to create a successful business. The goal in starting a business should be less about how long will my business last and more about creating a business that is sustainable and better yet self-sustaining.
In this week's #OVAReactpodcast, we had the privilege to talk with Patricia Okelo Founder of Circles of Women in Business: Candid Conversations and Co-Founder of Kayana Create. She proudly stated that she is a successful small business owner, which is often unheard of and she shared three tips that can lead another to achieve similar success.
1. Do it Right
In the entrepreneurial world, it can often feel that when you start the goal must be to build something that is big and perhaps global. This can be possible if one is not juggling business and raising a family, and if this is the goal. As Patricia says you will, in the end, lose a lot of women wanting to build businesses because the pressure weighs them down and discourages them to go forth. She however encourages shifting the focus to just ensuring you’re doing the business right, which is making sure you are aligned legally and have all the processes in place so the business has a better chance of survival
2. Build a supporting network to create a business that outlasts you
As Patricia continued to grow her business she realised there was a gap for women starting out in a business where they needed a space to harness their skills, get the right support to ensure they are doing things right and be part of a community of other like-minded businesswomen. This informed the idea behind Kayana Create, which is a space that provides all of the above and provides women entrepreneurs with the opportunity to create a business that outlasts them while forming greater networks.
3. Grow organically
Patricia encourages those wanting to pursue business to just start with what they have and what is within reach. It is also important to not rush the process and allow the business to grow organically.
In a world where only businesses on a big scale are celebrated, this podcast will be encouraging for those who aim to be successful on a small scale. Listen to the full podcast NOW STREAMING on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcast and through Capital FM’s Kenya SoundCloud below. Remember to also tune live to Capital FM on Monday at 10.30 pm EAT for the new weekly episode.
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